LSAT 8 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q21

LR Question 21 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: So-called environmentalists have argued that the proposed…

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: Their claim should be dismissed without further consideration.

REASONING: The environmentalists have raised environmental objections to nearly every development proposal we have proposed. Therefore their environmental objections aren’t real: they are actually just anti-progress.

ANALYSIS: Most of the wrong answer choices make claims about environmentalists in general. The councilor is not making claims about every environmentalist worldwide. He’s only making a claim about the particular group of environmentalists currently opposing him.

___________

1. CORRECT. Yes. A less confusing way of wording this would be “at least some of the projects were not opposed because of environmental concerns.”
2. It’s only necessary that these particular environmentalists have been hiding their motives. Maybe some other anti-progress advocates are honest.
3. It’s only necessary that these particular environmentalists are opponents of progress.
4. The councilor’s conclusion is merely that the birds are not a real concern.
5. This only has to be true of these particular environmentalists. It doesn’t have to be true of all environmentalists everywhere.

Recap: The question begins with “So-called environmentalists have argued that the proposed”. It is a Necessary Assumption question. Learn how to master LSAT Necessary questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.